What is the suitable time for lawn mowing?
German Lawn Mowing Regulations: A Guide for Garden Owners
Mowing the lawn in Germany is not just about maintaining a well-groomed garden. It's also about adhering to strict legal regulations aimed at maintaining peace and quiet, particularly during rest periods.
Noise Limit Values and Lawn Mowing
Lawn mowing, along with other noisy garden activities such as using leaf blowers and hedge trimmers, is subject to the Technical Instructions for Noise Protection (TA Lärm) limit values. These values vary depending on the type of area, ensuring that noise disturbance is minimized.
Allowed Hours for Noisy Garden Equipment
Typically, the use of noisy garden equipment is allowed between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. However, there is a complete ban on such activities on Sundays and public holidays due to Ruhezeit (quiet time) regulations.
Exceptions and Special Cases
While devices with the EU eco-label may be quieter or more eco-friendly, they still must comply with the Ruhezeit rules. There is no widely applicable legal exemption that allows using noisy garden machines outside of the prescribed hours, even if they bear the EU eco-label.
Mowing Robots and Quieter Electric Lawnmowers
Some federal states have issued special regulations for mowing robots, which also prohibit their use on Sundays and public holidays. Quiet electric or battery-powered lawnmowers with the EU eco-label can be used on all weekdays between 7 am and 8 pm.
Additional Restrictions
There are also restrictions on hedge trimming in the summer half-year, and specific restrictions for devices such as leaf blowers, leaf vacuums, and lawn trimmers. These noisy devices may only be used from 9 to 13 hours and from 15 to 17 hours.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Violations of these regulations can result in fines of up to 50,000 euros. Neighbours can also take civil legal action, such as cease-and-desist orders or lawsuits, in cases of non-compliance with noise regulations.
Tips for Garden Owners
It's important to educate oneself about local quiet hours and any special regulations, choose the right time for mowing, be considerate, use low-noise equipment, and avoid weekends and holidays. Remember, maintaining a beautiful garden doesn't have to mean disturbing the peace.
Sources
- Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit (BMUB)
- Deutscher Städtetag
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband
- Landesverband der Deutschen Wohnungswirtschaft
- Deutscher Bauernverband
Home-and-garden activities, including lawn mowing, fall under the Technical Instructions for Noise Protection (TA Lärm) limit values in Germany. These activities must comply with the Ruhezeit (quiet time) regulations, even if they use quieter electric or battery-powered lawnmowers with the EU eco-label, as there is no widely applicable legal exemption allowing their use outside of the prescribed hours.
